Fallsburg officials, union point fingers over loss of state aid

Wednesday

Jan 30, 2013 at 2:00 AM

FALLSBURG — Fallsburg's school superintendent and leaders of the district's teachers union are defending their positions as the district faces the loss of state aid because of their failure to agree on a revised teacher-evaluation system.

Leonard Sparks

FALLSBURG — Fallsburg's school superintendent and leaders of the district's teachers union are defending their positions as the district faces the loss of state aid because of their failure to agree on a revised teacher-evaluation system.

Negotiations to approve the district's Annual Professional Performance Review by a state-imposed Jan. 17 deadline collapsed over whether the superintendent or an arbitrator would be last rung of the appeals process for "ineffective" or "developing" teachers.

Fallsburg Teachers Association Vice President Patricia Bertholf, reading a statement at the Jan. 23 school board meeting, denied that the union "reneged" on a tentative agreement.

On Friday Katz issued a press release claiming that on Dec. 13 union President Don Thomas informed him that the FTA's executive council "rejected" a pact eight days after agreeing to one.

"As long as the teachers union stands firm on not wanting to be held ultimately accountable by their employer, APPR negotiations will be challenged to move forward," Katz said.

Fallsburg is one of four districts statewide that failed to submit new evaluation plans in time for state approval.

Each district's plan is based on a 100-point system in which teachers receive one of four ratings: highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.

The district wants its superintendent to hear the final level of what would be a three-level process for teachers appealing their ratings. The union prefers an independent arbitrator to ensure "fairness and not just a signature," Bertholf said.

"We feel strongly that we have bargained in good faith," she said.

After last week's board meeting Thomas said the FTA had submitted another proposal to the district. Katz said on Wednesday that the district is ready to resume negotiations "as soon as possible."

So far the state is estimating the district's loss of aid for the current school year at $107,000, Katz said.

Absent an agreement by Sept. 1, the district also faces the loss of some state aid for the 2013-2014 school year, he said.

"The district was very upset that we missed this deadline, and we don't want to lose another cent," Katz said.

lsparks@th-record.com

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